Snook Nook Fishing Reports

FISHING 5/30/10

Well how a bout a Dolphin, from 80’ out to 400’ it was Dolphin. These fish were hungry, strip baits, live, trolled, pitched, you name it the fish were hungry. Bigger Dolphin were deep, from 300’ out but then drive by fish to catch fish, no I didn’t think so. Lots of peanuts but lots of fish from 12lbs on up, a few Cobia, some Kings made the catch list but everybody was looking for Dolphin and every body took home Dolphin. Cobia were in 20 to 40’ they moved in close after being beat on for two weeks at the Sand Pile, Kings in 60’ eating top baits, just when you think you have figured it all out they change just to keep you interested. These Kings were ten to fifteen pounds, perfect to steak and put on the grill. North end of the Loran Tower Reef was the location for an excellent Snapper bite and yes the Kings were there also.

The surf was all weeds one day and the next clear and that depended on your location, so go north or south to the next access and take a look before you bring out the equipment. Blue fish early with a mix of Snook, Jacks, then as the sun get higher the Blues back out and in move the Whiting.

Snook and Jacks will be there all day, they like the Whiting. Tarpon is the one that holds my interest, plenty of sightings but I have not heard of a hook up nor have I heard of any one with Tarpon for a target. A new week and it is June, so let’s catch a Tarpon.

Excellent Trout bite on top water early in the shallowest of water, work you bait slowly across the surface and be ready. After sun up then move to three feet using a soft rubber bait of choice but still use the slower retrieve. Live shrimp and small pins are candy to these guys so what ever you prefer but when the line stops set the hook. Reds again early, you have to be on location before sun up. Run up the middle of the river and watch for activity, the direction it is moving, get ahead of this and let the fish come to you. After sun up the fish will go to shaded or deeper water, look around those docks on the west side of the Indian River from Midway road south, you will find them. Top water early then to a bait that works below the surface, Trout and Reds are waiting and Snook is still closed. Tarpon at the Power Plant, well at least I can go see them.

Till next week, it is summer and I love this place……………………………Henry

FISHING 5/15/10

With three to four foot seas and wind gusting to 30knts it was an interesting week. Beautiful sky, great temperatures but that wind, kept a lot of anglers wishing and hoping. The surf edge stayed cool and the Blue fish kept anglers busy. It amazes me how adversity can be over looked when the bite is on. Churned up seas kept the surface cool and if the temps are right the Blues will stay. Casting heavy spoons, big top water and Kast Masters found the fish all day just not limited to mornings, and did I mention the big Jacks were in the mix. Was and interesting week on the beach with late afternoon Pompano and Whiting for the later anglers, yes I did mention the Jacks, big Jacks. Not a word on Tarpon, because the seas were less than polite with all that white water, just hard to see. When ever the wind lays down it is their time, I’ll keep you posted.

Off shore it was a “sporty” week, not one day was it less than three feet with wind less than fifteen knots gusting to who knows. Small Dolphin from 100’ out eating trolled baits, a few decent fish but most were just above the minimum. Big Kings to the south with small Kings under them, anglers were reporting on the top water baits the fish were thirty pound class and on the deep baits they were twelve pound class. This south east gale is it ever going to stop blowing. I normally like a south east wind, which brings the Gulf Stream closer, lines up the weeds and produces great temp lines but a gale? A few free jumping Sails, lots of Bonita (bring extra bait) and you might want to think about some bottom fishing. Lots of Snapper, Rutter fish, and AJ’s will keep anglers busy, all of above love sardines.

Inside anglers were hiding on the east shore line looking for flat water. Most fish do not like turbid water; they will look to the flat water because they cannot see in the turbid water. The small fish can not fight the strong current that get created buy the windy conditions, so look to the flat water that is where the bait is and that where every other specie will be. Spoils north of North Bridge, Bear Point, Power Plant, and cove created north of Nettles Island, to the north sides of the causeways to the cove south of Indian River Plantation there is lots of area to fish in flat water. The best part is there were fish, Big Trout, slot Reds a few Flounder, plenty of Snook and Lady Fish and Jacks to keep you busy. Artificial early then live shrimp once the sun was high, saw lots of fish this week. Now if this wind will lay down we will see lots of Tarpon, it is their time.

Does any one know a weather man with some pull????????? Henry

FISHING 5/8/10

Summer in Florida, cooler mornings, bright sun, a little wind in the later afternoon and clam evenings, I love this place. Yes, the shrimp do get smaller in the summer. Yes we have shrimp, not sure about tomorrow. Every summer the shrimp go some where, not sure where but they are gone so it is a guarantee that as July gets closer the shrimp will disappear.

Enough about shrimp lets talk Cobia form four feet out to twenty feet, how about a twenty pound class fish on a

Whiting rig and a piece of shrimp, now you know why all those boats were on the surfs edge. The minimum length is 33” to the fork of the tail, one per angler or 6 per vessel, not big but twenty five pound class is a nice fish. Limits were caught all day both north and south of the inlet, in that very shallow water it was big top water lures, something that splashed or rattled, going deeper it was sardines. Schools of big Blue fish chasing schools of Pompano not to mention the big Jacks and African Pompano; it was a shallow week end. Bait was hard to come by with all the fish up close, trolled bally found a few Dolphin in the 150’ zone, Kings in the 60’ zone and plenty of Bonita every where in between. I believe a lot more fish would have been caught but after listening to the radio and seeing that line of boats on the beach why go out there when they are at the door.

Surf anglers had a busy week, early morning anglers still some Blue Fish action on spoons, excellent for Jacks and Snook and that one bite that took the bait and kept on going. For the rest of the day it was Whiting, Croakers and more of that one that took the bait and kept on going. Repots of Tarpon rolling, lots of sightings but no takers and that is because all any body wanted was those pesky Cobia.

River anglers it was Snook, Trout and Reds kept most busy, it was a mid morning bite. There were a few caught early on top water, Midway Road, Little Mud Creek on south to Joes Point but about nine when the sun was high they just turned on, I guess they did not read last weeks column. Snook is closed so quick release is mandatory and then you can drift up on the channel markers looking for the Triple Tails. Catch 22, Capt. Bob is at it again, the man knows how and when to catch them, brought two in this week. It is summer do not spend all day in one area, if it is slow move to the next area, when the bite slows again move. Look to fish the shaded water or the deeper water, change sides of the river, get opposite the sun and pay attention to the action is there a pattern? Tarpon, do not bring a knife to the gun fight, have one big rod rigged and ready, it summer and one never knows for sure.

Where is the camera, that one that took the bait just might turn around………………………………………………………..Henry

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